Animated book



Dec, 2, 1924.

L. W. KESLER kNIMATED BOOK Filed Nov. 26, 1923 Patented Dec. 2, 1924.

U NHTE` srarss LOR V7. KESLER, 0F PR'FLAND. OREGON.

Applicationrled November 26, 1923.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it hereby known that l, Lomi W. Krs rink, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of Portland, in the county of Multnomah and State of Oregon, have invented a new and useful Animator Book, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates more particularly to the theatrical art.

The object of my invention is the production of an optical illusion in which views may be made to dissolve with a change inA lighting eiect, and it is made to appear that people actually step from a boolr and through the scenes depicted therein.

These and other objects will become more apparent from the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which z- Figure 1 is a plan of my device with the top cut away in horizontal section. Figure 2 is a left side elevation of the device of which Figures 3 and 4 are front elevations under different conditions. Figure 5 is an enlarged horizontal section along the line 5-5 in F igurev 2. Figure 6 is an enlarged detail of the upper corner of the device showing the screen slots. Figure 7. is a section along. the lines 7 7 inFigure-l. Figure 3 is a perspective of one of the screens showing its construction and the manner of supportingv its top land bottom edges.

`Similar numbers of reference refer to the same parts throughout' theseveral views.

Referring in detail to the drawing, I have constructed my device in the form of an enlarged book, preferably in the neighborhood of six and one-half feet high, whose back 10, front 11, bottom 12, cover 13 and top 14 are preferably made of rigid material. rlhe back 10 and front 11 are preferably rounded in book fashion and the cover 13 is hinged to the back 10 in the most convenient manner.

This enlarged book is set against an opening in the screen or curtain 15. A room consisting of the side walls 16 and the ceiling 17 is formed behind the curtain 15 as an extension to the book. The wing walls 18 are constructed to enable anl actor to move the curtain wall 19 to one side and enter the room 20 without permitting light to enter the room.

Referring more particularly to my invention, it Will be observed in Figure 8 that l have constructed a three-sided frame consisting of the top and bottom members 21 and Serial No. 676,910,

the vertical member 22 which members have a 'l' section formed by bendingsheet metal and placing between its folds a screen 23 of theatrical gauze, on which is painted or `dyed without filling the apertures in the cloth any desired scene. This frame and its included screen 23 is slipped into the slot 24 in the back 10 of the book. A similar screen 23-fis placed in the slot 24A.

Strips of wood or metal 26 are secured by means of the screws 2T to the tops 14A and bottom 12 of the boolr between the members 21 of adjacent frames, serving as guides for the frames and preventing the tension of the screens 23 and 23A from collapsing theiry frames. lt will be understood thatwhen these frames are pushed into the book; that the vertical member 22 lies close to the'bool back 10 and should not be visible to the eye 28 in the audience when the cover 13 is closed. Lights 29 are mounted in the book close to the screen 23A and the circuit 30 is` provided with the usualyrheostat 31.

The operation of myl device isas follows: lt `may bevaried in a great number of ways,v but for the sake of illustration, we will take the-case in which the. book is closed and an actor on the stage in front of the book is playing a part in-which he.A opens the cover 13, as shown in Figure 1,A andV the light from the outside of theboolr falls on the screen 23, which,` in this` particular instance, carries a picture of two ladies seated on .fi-veranda swing, which picture now becomes Visible to the eye, 2 8. ItA will be, understood that the room 20 is now in darkness. `The screen 23A has previously been drawn out and is concealed by the cover 13.

l shall refer to the lights which shine on the gauze screen from the rear, or within the box, as back lights, and those which shine on the front of the screen, such as foot lights, house lights, etc. as front lights.

The next step is to light the interior of the box with the back lights, which renders the picture on the screen 23 invisible to the eye 28. This screen is now withdrawn and the characters come out of the book onto the stage. As soon as they have passed out of the book, the screen 23A is slipped into place and the baclr lights faded while the front lights are turned on, making the scene shown in Figure 4 visible behind the actors.

If it is desired to reverse the operation and have the actors exit into the book the operation is simply as follows: Front lights are dimmed and back lights turned on. This renders the screen 23A invisible to the eye 2S. Screen 23A is novv Withdrawn and the actors move into the book. The desired screen is then slid into the book, the back lights dimmed and the iront lights turned on.

It must be borne in mind that l do not Wish to confine myself to the precise construction, size o' book, or inode of operation outlined above. For instance, the same principle can be employed making an entire scene of gauze and removing it vertically, as is the custom with ordinary stage scenes, and using the stage behind the scene in place of the room 20. In other Words, the novelty of my device resides in the use o a removable curtain Whose visibility depends upon the direction in which it is illuminated, and also in the use ot' the two scenes which are adable, and differ principally in the presence or absence of the actors Whom it can be made to appear'have passed through the screen itself, although of course, such is not actually the case.

I am aware thattheatrical gauze has long been employed for producing peculiar eil'ects von the stage, supporting scenery, etc. I

therefore do not claim its use broadly, but intend to cover only such forms and modiications as fall fairly Within the appended claims.

What I claim as nevi7 is:

1. An animated book consisting of a bookshaped box adapted to be `set against an opening in a stage scene, said box having a hinged front cover and an open side next to the scene opening; a darkened room formed behind said scene opening; a frame slidably mounted on said box close to said iront cover; a screen of theatrical gauze stretched across said frame and having a picture painted thereon; and lights Within said box arranged to illuminate said gauze.

2. The combination of a stage scene having an opening formed therein, with an animated book consisting ot' a boolesliaped boX having its rear cover removed and its front cover hinged, as is a book, said box standing with its open side against the opening in the stage scene; a darkened room behind said stage scene over said stage scene opening; a plurality of three-sided slides inside ot said box near its front cover, said slides having secured thereon decorated theatrical gauze, said slides having their vertical sides projecting from said book .in a manner that they may be Withdrawn from saine Without having any oi the sides pass across the front of said book; lights in said book adapted to illuminate said gauze scenes; and a rheostat in the lighting circuit adapted to control the brilliancy oi said lights.

3. The combination of a stage scene with an animated book consisting of a bookshaped bonY having its rear cover removed and its front cover hinged, said box standing with its open side against an opening in said stage scene; a dark room formed behind said stage scene opening; a border formed around said box inside of its front cover; two sliding frames mounted inside of said box near the front cover, each of said frames consisting of top and bottom slide members slidably attached to the top and bottom members, and a vertical side joining said top and bottom members on the outside of the book, said three-sided frames having secured thereon decorated theatrical gauze, each of said sliding frames being arranged to permit their partial or complete withdrawal from said book Without having any of their sides pass across the front of said book; lights in said book adapted to illuminate said gauze screens; and a rheostat in the lighting circuit adapted to control thc brilliancy of said lights.

LORA W. KESLER. 

